Abstract

MONTANEZ VALENCIA, Ronald Alfonso; ESCUDERO VASQUEZ, Carmen Yuliet  and  DUQUE MONTOYA, Álvaro Javier. SPATIAL PATTERNS OF DISTRIBUTION OF TREE SPECIES IN HIGH MOUNTAIN FORESTS AT THE REGION OF ANTIOQUIA, COLOMBIA. Rev. Fac. Nac. Agron. Medellín [online]. 2010, vol.63, n.2, pp.5629-5638. ISSN 0304-2847.

The assessed the patterns of spatial distribution of tree species along an altitudinal gradient in high mountain forests it was evaluated. The study was carried out in three 1-ha plots located in high Andean forests on the northern part of the Central cordillera of Colombia, classifying the data into two categories of size: canopy (DBH>10 cm) and understory (DBH<10 cm). The main research questions were: 1. Are there differences in the spatial patterns of species distribution between both canopy and understory species? 2. How much and in which way can the spatial patterns of species distribution be affectted by the altitudinal gradient? The standardized Morisita index (Ip) was used to assess the pattern of species distribution at different spatial scales. The degree of clustering of canopy species increased along with the size of the plot. In contrast, understory species showed the oppositte pattern. The results suggest that density-dependence processes proportionally increased with the elevation. This trend, however, seems to be controlled by different mechanisms on either canopy or understory, such us dispersal limitation or habitat specialization, respectively.

Keywords : Density-dependence; aggregated species; altitudinal gradient; Morisita index; dispersal limitation.

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